16 July 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Russia's Defense Ministry now says that eight people were killed and one seriously injured in a helicopter crash in Chechnya today.

Russian Colonel Aleksandr Drobyshevskii said all three crewmen and five of the helicopter's six passengers were killed. He said the surviving passenger was seriously injured and was taken to the hospital.

Russian officials initially said there were only four people aboard the helicopter.

It's not yet clear what caused the crash near the village of Itum-Kale.